Linnean and Zoological Societies. 3465 



Proceedings of the Linnean Society. 



April 6, 1852. — Robert Brown, Esq., President, in the chair. 



Read, a paper by Mr. Adam White, ' On the Influence of cold on the Flowering of 

 Plants.' After a reference to Mr. Curtis's observations on the flowering of plants be- 

 neath the snow (made at the meeting- of this Society on the 17th of February), the. 

 author quoted some remarks from Captain Beechey's Journal, with regard to the fre- 

 quent occurrence of a luxuriant vegetation under the snow in the Arctic regions. He 

 more particularly adduced the instance of Saxifraga nivalis, stated by Linnaeus to 

 flower in the regions of perpetual snow. The author also offered some remarks on the 

 modifications which the specific characters of both plants and insects undergo, when 

 exposed to the influence of a change of climate. 



Dr. Hooker mentioned that when at Tierra del Fuego he had seen Pernettya uiu- 

 cronata flowering in a spot from which the snow had been accidentally removed. 



Mr. Pratt stated that at Chamouni he had sought for plants in flower under the 

 snow, but without success ; and he looked upon the circumstance mentioned by Mr. 

 Curtis as an accidental occurrence. 



Read also a communication from Mr. J. Mottley, of Labuan, which was accompa- 

 nied by specimens of Borneo camphor, and of the tree (Dryobalanops Camphora) by 

 which it is produced. This camphor is consumed chiefly in China, where it is greatly 

 valued for its medicinal qualities. The best specimens realize £5 per pound. The 

 oil exuding from the tree is also used in medicine and as a varnish. With the Borneo 

 camphor are invariably mixed the red seeds of a plant, which are added by the natives 

 under the superstitious idea that the Spirit of the camphor would fly off, unless some 

 such inducement were offered him to remain. 



Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 



March 23, 1852. — Professor Owen, Vice-President, in the chair. 

 The following papers were read : — 



1. 'Additional Evidence relating to the Dodo,' by W. J. Broderip, Esq., F.R.S., 

 Vice-President of the Society. 



2. * On the Species of Sericinus, a Genus of Butterflies,' by Mr. G. R. Gray, F.L.S. 

 In the ' Transactions of the Entomological Society,' Mr. Westwood introduced a Le- 

 pidopterous genus under the name of Sericinus, founded on bad specimens sent from 

 Shanghae by Mr. Fortune, and thus supposed to comprise " both sexes " of the insects 

 figured by Donovan in his ' Insects of China,' under the appellation of Papilio Tela- 

 mon, " no specimen of which," as Mr. Westwood justly observed, " was then known to 

 exist in any continental or British collections." Mr. Fortune has lately returned to 

 this country with many specimens of the insect in a more perfect state, enabling Mr. 

 Gray to take up the genus, and to define the characters of each species. Mr. Gray 

 endeavoured to show that what had been regarded as two sexes are two distinct species. 



3. 'Notes on the Dissection of a new Species of Galago,' by Mr. W. H. Flower. 

 The details of this paper were purely anatomical. 



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